January 17, 2025
As if the entertainment industry didn’t need another major challenge thrown its way, that’s exactly what happened with the devastating fires impacting thousands of people in the greater Los Angeles area. Before you think, “who cares about a bunch of rich celebrities living in Malibu?” there are tens of thousands of people who work in the film and television industry, many of whom struggle to earn a steady paycheck. Sure, the superstars can absorb a tragedy like this financially. It’s the writers, costume designers, camera operators, musicians, makeup designers, hairstylists and many others who depend on going to set every day just to get paid, who will feel it the most.
After the pandemic and the two strikes last year, this disruption will be devastating to so many people. And that’s just the entertainment industry. The destruction is heartbreaking to see and it must be incredibly hard for people to pick up the pieces of what they’ve lost. I can’t even imagine what they are going through, trying to process this nightmare every day. If you want to see an inspiring film about people who persevered through other California wildfires, I highly recommend Ron Howard’s 2020 documentary Rebuilding Paradise, which is streaming on Disney+.
OK, back to our regularly scheduled programming. This week I’m continuing my coverage of the 2024 year in film. If you missed part one, you can read it here. Before I unveil the first half of my twenty favorite movies of the year, here are some documentaries that I really liked.
An Extraordinary Story of an Ordinary Family – Blink
I’m a sucker for a heartwarming family story. Those movies just hit me in a certain way, every single time. Look no further than my favorite film of 2021, Best Picture winner CODA. When I read the description for Blink, I had a feeling this one would be a tough, but inspiring watch. At the center of the story is the Pelletier family who live in Canada. Three of their four children suffer from a genetic disorder that is causing them to slowly lose their eyesight. The parents decide to pack up and take a trip around the world so their children can have as many experiences as possible to build a lifetime of memories before they lose their sight. There are some wonderful moments in this yearlong odyssey, as each family member gets to cross something off their bucket list and have experiences they will never forget. That being said, certain scenes where the parents and kids talk about their diminishing eyesight (especially the youngest one who didn’t really understand what it means to “go blind”) will leave you reaching for the tissues. This one hit me hard – pure joy and pure heartbreak, but well worth the watch for true inspiration. Blink is now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
Another Inspiring Family Story – The Remarkable Life of Ibelin
I’m not a video game guy, so I didn’t think much of The Remarkable Life of Ibelin when it premiered at last year’s Sundance Film Festival. When I read the very positive reviews, I decided it might be worth my while. It turns out this is less about video games, and more about another inspirational family story. Mats Steen was a young Norwegian man who died from a debilitating neurological disease at the age of 25. During his later years, he was confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak, but still remained active online – writing a blog about his life, and playing World of Warcraft as a character named Ibelin. After he died, his family let the gaming community know of his passing, and suddenly they started hearing from many of his online friends about how much he had impacted their lives. His family learned about another side of their son that they didn’t even know about, and felt grateful that he had such a positive impact on so many people and that he found happiness in a community that accepted him. I’m glad I took a chance on this one, despite my lack of experience with role-playing video games, because this was one of the best documentaries of 2024. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin is now streaming on Netflix.
You Can Never Have Too Much of the Fab 4 – Beatles ’64
I’ve seen pretty much every story about The Beatles that has been committed to film, so I naturally wondered, “do we need another Beatles movie?” when I heard about Beatles ’64. The new documentary covers the band’s trip to America in early February 1964. We know most of the beats here (no pun intended) – the arrival at the airport surrounded by thousands of cheering fans, the groundbreaking performance on the Ed Sullivan Show, and trip to Washington D.C. for additional shows.
So, there wasn’t anything new that I particularly learned when watching Beatles ’64, but there is some fantastic candid footage of the band members interacting with each other, their fans, and the press interviewing them. Try to put yourself in their shows at the time – you’re in your early 20s, the world is obsessed with you and your music, and you’re wondering when it will all come crashing down. It’s true – McCartney said at the time that they hoped it would last a long time, but were realistic that it could end quickly. This is a nice one, especially if you are a fan of the band (who isn’t?) Beatles ’64 is now streaming on Apple TV+.
After I watched Beatles ’64, I decided to keep The Beatles theme going by watching I Wanna Hold Your Hand, the 1978 film about a group of teenagers desperate to get into the Ed Sullivan Show on the night of the band’s debut. I saw this one as a kid, but hadn’t seen it (probably) since then, and it holds up pretty well. Sure, it’s silly and the performances are goofy at times, but the producers somehow got rights to over a dozen Beatles songs, and the production design of 1964 New York is fantastic. This was the feature film debut of Robert Zemeckis, who demonstrated the filmmaking techniques we would continue to enjoy over the years. A few months ago, I was listening to an episode of my favorite movie podcast (The Big Picture) dedicated to the films of Zemeckis, in conjunction with the release of his latest picture, Here. One of the co-hosts brought up a fantastic idea when discussing I Wanna Hold Your Hand. He said, “How has a studio not greenlit a version of this film where a group of Taylor Swift fans are trying to go see The Eras Tour?” Count me in if it ever happens!
Two other tidbits for Beatles fans. In 2016, Ron Howard directed The Beatles: Eight Days a Week, an excellent documentary about the band’s touring years. You can catch that one on Disney+ and Hulu. And for you long-term planners, Academy Award-winning director Sam Mendes is planning four feature films about the band. Each one will be focused on one member, but the other members will also appear in each film, as part of an interconnected tapestry about the Fab Four. Casting rumors have been swirling on the internet, but nothing is official yet. Look for those movies (probably) in 2027.
Other Documentary Recommendations
There were a number of other great documentaries that I covered throughout 2024, including Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, the great Paul Simon documentary In Restless Dreams, a terrific look at the career of Steve Martin, called simply Steve!: A Documentary in Two Parts, Ron Howard’s interesting look at the complicated career and family life of Jim Henson Idea Man, the prison drama Daughters that inspired audiences at Sundance, the fascinating look at aspiring teenage politicians in Girls State, a look at the making of We Are the World, The Greatest Night in Pop, and an exhilarating portrait of a couple who get their thrills by scaling the tallest buildings in the world, Skywalkers: A Love Story. You can find where to see all of these movies by going to JustWatch.com.
OK, let’s move on to my top twenty films of 2024. This week I’ll cover #20 – #11, starting with the perfect creepy movie for your holiday season.
#20 – Nosferatu
It was somewhat surprising that a gothic horror film about a vampire would open on Christmas Day, but so did the Nicole Kidman erotic drama Babygirl, so who am I to judge? Robert Eggers, who has created some visually stunning films (albeit with shaky storytelling at times) is back with Nosferatu, a remake of the classic vampire story that first appeared over 100 years ago, and based on the original 19th century novel Dracula.
At the center of this adaptation is an amazing performance by Lily Rose-Depp as Ellen, the tortured wife of aspiring businessman Thomas (played by Nicholas Hoult). She keeps having haunting visions, and is feeling a psychic connection with Nosferatu, a vampire who goes by the name of Count Orlock in his everyday life. Thomas is charged with going to visit the Count to secure the finalization of a real estate transaction. He soon learns his client is not of this world, and is terrorized while trying to figure out how to destroy him. Orlock is played by Bill Skarsgård, under a mountain of latex and makeup, and is terrifying in the role, even if his thick accent comes across as comical until you get used to it. If you are reminded of the Count from Sesame Street, you’ll be forgiven. Seriously, Skarsgård was excellent in the film adaptation of Stephen King’s IT and delivers another great horror movie performance in this one.
One thing you can say about Eggers as a director is that he cares about getting the aesthetic of his films perfect. The production design and cinematography of Nosferatu are fantastic – throughout the whole movie, I kept thinking “This looks incredible!” It perfectly captures the gothic setting of Eastern Europe in the 1830s. Eggers certainly has talent as a director and this may be his best work yet, helped by terrific performances by Skarsgård, Hoult, Depp, and Willem Dafoe in a supporting role as the local expert who knows how to defeat the vampire and rid the local townspeople of their terror. If you like vampire stories, this is one to see. Nosferatu is now playing in theaters.
#19 – Flow
One of the joys of attending a film festival is taking a chance on a movie and being rewarded with a joyful experience. At the Philadelphia Film Festival, I had a busy Saturday planned, including the almost four-hour epic The Brutalist (loved it) and a late-night screening of a Korean action movie (Cloud). That was a tough one. I kind of liked it, but found myself struggling to grasp the plot. At one point, the woman next to me leaned over and said “What the fuck is going on in this movie?” and I responded, “I don’t know, but I started my day at 10:00 this morning, so I can’t think straight.” Let’s go back to that first film of the day.
Flow is a beautiful animated picture from Latvia that features several animals doing their best to survive a devastating flood. Our central character is a black cat, who meets up with other animals (a dog, a lemur, a very large bird, and a few others) to do anything they can to outrun the rushing water. There are a few intense moments when you wonder if one of the animals won’t survive after being thrust into a dangerous situation, but this is a fairly kid-friendly movie.
The animation of Flow is incredibly beautiful and the story is very engaging. Sure, there are times where you may wonder where in the world (or when in time) this story is taking place, but don’t worry about that. Just enjoy the 85 minute adventure with this group of animals. Oh yeah, one more very important fact. There is not one word of dialogue in this movie. Just the sounds of the animals, nature, and a beautiful score. And that is what makes this film even more impressive from an animation perspective. The way the creators of this movie were able to showcase the animals’ feelings through their facial expressions and sounds is outstanding. If there ever was a movie that you needed to put your phone down while watching, this is the one. Flow was not seen by many people when it was released, but it has started to gain a large number of fans, especially as it has become a strong contender for Best Animated Film and might even score a nomination for Best International Film. Flow is now available to rent on demand.
#18 – A Different Man
Sebastian Stan received two Golden Globe nominations earlier this month. The first was his starring role in The Apprentice where he portrayed the disgraceful individual we will unfortunately have to hear from a lot more starting Monday. Pretty good movie with great performances from Stan as the 1980s conman / real estate developer and Jeremy Strong as his mentor for all things disgraceful, Roy Cohn. The second nomination was for A Different Man, a wonderful dark comedy in which Stan plays a man afflicted with a disfiguring disease who goes on a wild ride when he discovers a cure. You can read more of my thoughts about A Different Man here and stream it now on HBO Max.
#17 – The Substance
Every “best of” list needs a WTF movie, and here is this year’s selection. Demi Moore is outstanding in her Golden Globe-winning role in this deranged body horror story of what women have to endure as they age. Margaret Qualley is also excellent as her alter ego / body double. Nothing can prepare you for the last 30 minutes of this one. If you’re even remotely queasy, this might not be for you. You can read more of my thoughts about The Substance here and rent it now on demand.
#16 – The First Omen
With all of the attention on the flailing reboot of The Exorcist which started in 2023, it was another 1970s horror movie that inspired an excellent prequel this past year. Arkasha Stevenson made her feature film directorial debut with this terrifying look at how Damien came into this world. You won’t recognize many of the actors in this one, but if you liked 1976’s The Omen, you will definitely enjoy this one. You can read more of my thoughts on The First Omen here and stream it now on Hulu.
#15 – A Quiet Place: Day One
I didn’t intentionally rank two prequel films back to back, but here we are. This is also the first of two fantastic performances from Lupita Nyong’o this past year, both of which required unique vocal skills. In this prequel to 2018’s A Quiet Place, we are taken back to New York City on the day the aliens with supersonic hearing appeared on Earth. Nyong’o pairs up with another survivor (Joseph Quinn) to find safety among the terrifying creatures from another planet. It must be incredibly hard to act effectively without speaking, and Nyong’s shows why she is one of the most talented actors working today. You can read more of my thoughts on A Quiet Place: Day One here and stream it now on Prime Video and Paramount+.
#14 – Nickel Boys
Every year there are a few divisive movies in the hunt for Oscar’s Best Picture. This year you have The Substance, which might squeak in as one of the ten nominees despite its deranged plot. You also have Emilia Perez, a film that I have not written about because I found it incredibly disappointing and I am stunned that it has received so much recognition during this year’s awards race. The running joke among film critics and journalists is that they can’t find anyone who actually liked the movie. I rarely give recommendations with 100% certainty, but I will highly suggest that you do not watch Emilia Perez, even if it shows up on your Netflix home screen.
And then there is the curious case of Nickel Boys, a highly-anticipated adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead. The film has received strong reviews from those people who loved it, but the response has been divisive for an interesting reason – the filmmaking technique employed by director RaMell Ross. He chose to tell this story of two boys who are subject to abuse at a reform school for troubled youths from a “first-person perspective.” From the very beginning of Nickel Boys, you are placed behind the eyes of the character at the focus of the scene, seeing everything they are seeing. Ross also made an interesting choice when our two main characters meet each other, showing a brief interaction twice – once from each boy’s perspective, basically telling the audience that going forward, we will see events transpire through each boy’s viewpoint.
The story of Nickel Boys is a challenging one given the subject matter, but there is very little abuse shown on screen. The two actors playing the lead characters (Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson) are excellent, and the supporting performances are very good as well. But the movie won’t be for everyone. It takes a little while to get used to the first-person perspective and get into the rhythm of the movie. I’ve read that some viewers found it disorientating, with some even feeling nauseous. I didn’t feel that way at all and even found myself marveling at the way the camera was used when I watched the film a second time. Also, there are a few timeline jumps to when one of the boys is an adult that are shot a slightly different way, for an intentional reason that is not quite clear until the ending, if you even pick up on it. I had to read a few articles to fully grasp the ending.
It’s this divided opinion among fans and critics that have led to underwhelming awards recognition for Nickel Boys, leaving it probably on the outside looking in for a Best Picture nomination. For me, I thought Nickel Boys was an excellent film, primarily due to Ross’s direction and the cinematography. If you are a movie nerd and appreciate the art of filmmaking, this one might be worth checking out. Nickel Boys is now playing in theaters.
#13 – Civil War
Director Alex Garland’s searing portrait of The Divided States of America, told through the viewpoint of a group of journalists on a mission to Washington D.C. to interview the corrupt President before he is overthrown by secessionist forces. Kirsten Dunst is magnificent in the lead role as a photojournalist who is war-torn and burned out. She is joined by Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Stephen McKinley Henderson who are all playing archetype characters but still deliver great performances. The cast also includes a terrific (and terrifying) cameo by Dunst’s husband Jesse Plemons. Garland caught a lot of shit when this movie came out for not explaining why the country fell into a civil war, but this is a journalism film, not a ten-part television series. Ambiguity is ok in films sometimes, and he directed the shit out of this movie. Isn’t it better to be left wondering how the country could have fallen apart instead of having it spoon fed to you? Or better yet, maybe it’s not a good idea to think about that, especially this weekend. Come to think of it, you might want to wait a few weeks (or four years and three days) to watch this one. You can read more of my thoughts on Civil War here and stream it now on HBO Max.
#12 – Hit Man
OK, maybe something a little more light-hearted? Glen Powell, on the continued upswing to “household name superstar,” plays a college professor who stumbles into a role helping the New Orleans police department in Richard Linklater’s comedy-drama. Powell plays Gary, who poses as hit men (of various disguises and names) to capture those looking to hire his services. When he falls in love with one prospective client (played by the terrific Adria Arjona), his priorities become complicated. Hit Man features one of my favorite scenes of the year, an electrifying sequence with Powell, Arjona, and an iPhone. Terrific stuff. You can read more of my thoughts on Hit Man here and stream it now on Netflix.
#11 – A Complete Unknown
That’s it. Stop the count. It’s over. Timothée Chalamet is our next great movie star. The lead performer of the epic Dune franchise, a box-office hit with Wonka, excellent supporting roles in blockbusters and Oscar nominated films, and now delivering a successful turn as legendary musician Bob Dylan. He’s about to secure his second Oscar nomination and potentially his first win, which would break the record for youngest Best Actor winner set by Adrien Brody for The Pianist. Coincidentally, Chalamet’s main competition this year is Brody for his incredible performance in The Brutalist. But that’s a debate for another day. Let’s talk about Timmy’s transformation into the legendary singer-songwriter.
Dylan has been the subject of several documentaries, and an experimental narrative movie (Todd Haynes’ 2007 film I’m Not There, which didn’t work for me), so there was some question about whether we needed this movie. I’ve written several times about how musician biopics can go wrong. You need to have the perfect combination of subject matter, cast, director, and a tight screenplay that doesn’t try to do too much. Fortunately, director James Mangold succeeded on all fronts with A Complete Unknown. Even the most dedicated Dylan fans have largely agreed that the movie is at least very good, if not excellent.
A Complete Unknown covers Dylan’s arrival in New York City in 1961 through his controversial decision to “go electric” at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Along the way, he meets his hero Woody Guthrie and becomes friends with Pete Seeger who quickly mentors Dylan as an aspiring folk songwriter and singer. Dylan also begins a relationship with artist Sylvie Russo (based on his real-life girlfriend Suze Rotolo) and meets Joan Baez, already a popular singer-songwriter. This love triangle is featured throughout the film in addition to several sequences where Dylan is writing or performing legendary songs, one after the other.
Look, A Complete Unknown is not a perfect movie. There are some music biopic tropes that are employed here and there. Watching Baez pack her bags intending to leave New York City during the panic of the Cuban Missile Crisis, only to stumble upon Dylan performing the newly-written Masters of War in a nightclub was a little too cute. And the scene where a fistfight broke out between Dylan’s manager and the organizer of the Newport Folk Festival after Dylan’s loud set began was a little over the top. And there are a lot of scenes where people are just gazing in wonder at Dylan playing a song. But those are minor quibbles. This is an excellent movie, especially if you are a fan of Dylan’s music. And let’s talk about these performances.
Chalamet is incredible, perfectly capturing Dylan’s essence. He has the voice, the mannerisms, and the “asshole” quality that regularly pissed people off. He also played guitar and sang all of the songs himself. And he sounds pretty damned good! It’s hard to overstate how wrong this could have gone. I mean, he is portraying one of the most beloved musicians in HISTORY. People would have scoffed if this was a performance straight out of an SNL sketch. As I mentioned above, there is a lot of footage of Dylan, especially during this era, so we would have known if it was way off. Speaking of which – with this film’s release many people have referenced the 1967 documentary Don’t Look Back, the very good look at Dylan’s 1965 tour in England. I much preferred Martin Scorsese’s 2005 documentary No Direction Home, which covers roughly the same period as Mangold’s movie. That one is definitely worth checking out after seeing A Complete Unknown.
Chalamet is not the only one delivering a strong performance in this film. Monica Barbaro (Top Gun: Maverick) is sensational as Baez. Both she and Chalamet have spoken about how the filming delays (due to the pandemic and the industry strikes) actually helped them – it gave them more time to practice singing and learning the guitar for their roles. Other standouts include Edward Norton (as Seeger) and Elle Fanning as Russo. Chalamet has great chemistry with Fanning in their scenes together, but the sparks come alive when he is with Barbaro. The scenes where they sing together are electric (no pun intended). In particular, during the sequence at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, as they perform It Ain’t Me, Babe while Fanning looks on from the side of the stage, will give you goosebumps and a few tears as Russo realizes she will always be second to Baez in Dylan’s eyes.
This was a high-wire act from Mangold, taking on the story of an icon of music history like Dylan. I was hopeful that it would work given Chalamet’s strong acting skills, and Mangold’s excellent filmography, especially his Johnny Cash biopic, Walk the Line. And the awards bodies are impressed as well. A Complete Unknown will likely receive several Oscar nominations, could have a sneaky shot at Best Picture and Chalamet just might win his first Oscar. A Complete Unknown is now playing in theaters.
That’s all for this week. I’ll be back next week with the unveiling of my top ten movies of 2024. Thanks for reading and if you would like to be notified about future posts, you can subscribe below.